MICHIGAN COMMERCIAL DRIVER LICENSE MANUAL

1 MICHIGAN COMMERCIAL DRIVER LICENSE MANUAL JOCELYN BENSON SECRETARY OF STATE MICHIGAN COMMERCIAL DRIVER LICENSE MANUAL JOCELYN BENSON SECRETARY OF STATE The Department of State is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. If you need an accommodation or have been denied service, please call 888-SOS-MICH (767-6424). Hearing-impaired customers may access the department s telephone number by calling the MICHIGAN Relay Center at (Rev. 09/19)22,800; PA 300, 1949 as amended; $15, photo courtesy of the MICHIGAN Department of Transportation Photography CDL 1-349081_Ts-004 CDL 1-35/21/21 9:13 AM5/21/21 9:13 AMMICHIGAN COMMERCIAL DRIVER LICENSE MANUAL JOCELYN BENSON SECRETARY OF STATE The Department of State is an equal opportunity employer and service provider.

2 If you need an accommodation or have been denied service, please call 888-SOS-MICH (767-6424). Hearing-impaired customers may access the department s telephone number by calling the MICHIGAN Relay Center at (Rev. 09/19)22,800; PA 300, 1949 as amended; $15, photo courtesy of the MICHIGAN Department of Transportation Photography CDL 1-349081_Ts-004 CDL 1-35/21/21 9:13 AM5/21/21 9:13 AM2022 MICHIGAN COMMERCIAL DRIVER LICENSE MANUAL 2005 CDL Testing System Note: Throughout this MANUAL , a COMMERCIAL motor vehicle will be referred to as a CMV and a COMMERCIAL DRIVER LICENSE as a CDL. Due to frequent changes in federal and state regulations, the MICHIGAN Department of State cannot ensure the accuracy of the material contained in the MICHIGAN COMMERCIAL DRIVER LICENSE MANUAL beyond the date of publication.

3 To obtain current information, please visit This document is not intended for legal purposes. This material is based upon work supported by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration under Cooperative Agreement No. DTFH61-9-X-00017. Any opinions, finding, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. COPYRIGHT 2005 AAMVA. All rights reserved This material has been created for and provided to State DRIVER LICENSE Agencies (SDLAs) by AAMVA for the purpose of educating DRIVER LICENSE applicants ( COMMERCIAL or Non- COMMERCIAL ).

4 Permission to reproduce, use, distribute or sell this material has been granted to SDLAs only. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author/publisher. Any unauthorized reprint, use, distribution or sale of this material is prohibited. Human trafficking is modern-day slavery. Traffickers use force, fraud, and coercion to control their victims. Any minor engaged in COMMERCIAL sex is a victim of human trafficking. Trafficking can occur in many locations, including truck stops, restaurants, rest areas, brothels, strip clubs, private homes, etc.

5 Truckers are the eyes and the ears of our nation s highways. If you see a minor working any of those areas or suspect pimp control, call the National Hotline and report your tip: 1-888-373-7888 (US) 1-800-222-TIPS (Canada) For law enforcement to open an investigation on your tip, they need actionable information. Specific tips helpful when reporting to the hotline would include: Descriptions of cars (make, model, color, LICENSE plate number, etc.) and people (height, weight, hair color, eye color, age, etc.) Take a picture if you can Specific times and dates (When did you see the event in question take place? What day was it?) Addresses and locations where suspicious activity took place Trafficking Red Flags to Look for: Lack of knowledge of their community or whereabouts Not in control of own identification documents (ID/passport) Restricted or controlled communication--not allowed to speak for self Demeanor: fear, anxiety, depression, submissive, tense, nervous Questions to Ask: Are you being paid?

6 Are you being watched or followed? Are you free to leave? Come and go as you please? Are you physically or sexually abused? Are you or your family threatened? What is the nature of the threats? Report by Email: Warning: Please do not approach traffickers. Call the hotline, and they will call the FBI and local police to deal with them and rescue the victims. Approaching traffickers is not only dangerous for you and their victims but could lead to problems in the eventual prosecution of traffickers. Go to for more information. 2022 MICHIGAN COMMERCIAL DRIVER LICENSE MANUAL 2005 CDL Testing System THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK Table of Contents PART ONE - Overview Section 1: Introduction to MICHIGAN s COMMERCIAL DRIVER LICENSE Program.

7 1 Section 2: Driving Safely .. 19 Section 3: Transporting Cargo Safely .. 63 PART TWO - Endorsements Section 4: Transporting Passengers Safely .. 67 Section 5: Air Brakes .. 71 Section 6: Combination Vehicles .. 81 Section 7: Doubles and Triples .. 95 Section 8: Tank Vehicles .. 99 Section 9: Hazardous Materials .. 101 Section 10: School Buses .. 121 PART THREE Skills Tests Section 11: Vehicle Inspection Test .. 131 Section 12: Basic Vehicle Control Skills 139 Section 13: On-Road Driving .. 141 APPENDICES Appendix A: Applying for a COMMERCIAL DRIVER LICENSE .. 145 Appendix B: Sample Test Questions .. 148 Appendix C: Vehicle Inspection Memory Aid .. 149 2022 MICHIGAN COMMERCIAL DRIVER LICENSE MANUAL 2005 CDL Testing System THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK 2022 MICHIGAN COMMERCIAL DRIVER LICENSE MANUAL 2005 CDL Testing System Section 1 Introduction 1 Is the GCWR 26,001 or more pounds?

8 Is the GVWR of the trailer/tow unit 10,001 or more pounds? Is the GVWR of the power unit 26,001 or more pounds? Is the vehicle transporting hazardous materials in a placardable quantity? Is the vehicle designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the DRIVER ? This Section Covers: Who Needs a CDL Eligibility Requirements Medical/Physical Requirements CDL Groups/Endorsements/Exemptions Application Procedures Tests Fees Restrictions Serious Traffic and RRX Violations Drug/Alcohol-Related Violations Please read this section very carefully to determine if you need a CDL. This MANUAL will help you pass the CDL knowledge and skills tests, but it is not a substitute for a truck DRIVER training class or program.

9 Formal training is the most reliable way to learn the skills required to safely operate a COMMERCIAL vehicle. Although every effort has been made to ensure accuracy of this information, laws and procedures are subject to change. For exact wording of a law or a specific guideline, contact the Department of State Information Center at 888-SOS-MICH (767-6424). Who Needs a CDL? You do if you intend to operate: Vehicles Having a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 26,001 pounds or more. Combination Vehicles Towing a trailer or other vehicles with a GVWR of 10,001 pounds or more with a gross combination weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more. Any Vehicles Designed to transport 16 or more people (Including the DRIVER ).

10 Carrying hazardous materials in amounts requiring placards. Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) is the recommended maximum total weight of the vehicle and load as designated by the vehicle manufacturer. The GVWR label is usually found on the DRIVER -side door post of the power unit and on or near the front of the trailer. The GVWR should not be confused with the elected GVW, which is declared by the vehicle owner for registration purposes. Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) means the value specified by the manufacturer as the maximum loaded weight of a combination vehicle. In the absence of a label, the GCWR will be calculated by adding the GVWR of the power unit to the GVWR of all vehicles or trailers being towed.